LEXINGTON, Ky. ?  The big inning came up and bit Indiana State once again, as No. 29 ranked Kentucky put eight runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning and never looked back as the Wildcats (7-2) picked up a 12-4 win over the Sycamores (9-3) in the first of three games on the weekend at Cliff Hagen Stadium.

Senior Michael Manus (1-1) suffered the loss for the Sycamores, as he gave up nine earned runs on 11 hits while striking out three batters in 2.2 innings of work.  Kentucky starter James Paxton earned the win after allowing four earned runs on 12 hits in 5.2 innings pitched and striking out six Sycamore batters.

The Wildcats put a crooked number on the board in the bottom of the second, as they scored eight runs on eight hits and an error in the frame.  Chris Wade, Chris Bisson and Keenan Wiley each drove in a run with RBI singles in the inning, but Marcus Nidiffer gave the big blow with a grand slam to cap off the inning for the Wildcats.

Kentucky would add a run in the bottom of the third inning and again in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend the lead to 10-0 after four innings of play.  However, the Sycamores fought back with three runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut into the Kentucky lead.

With one out, Ryan Strausborger picked up a single and then advanced to second base on a single by Koby Kraemer, who earned a start at second base.   That gave Nick Ciolli a chance to his team back into the game and he came through, as he launched a three-run home run over the left field wall to cut the lead to 10-3.  The home run was Ciolli's third of the year and his second in two games.

Kentucky added a run in the bottom half of the fifth inning on a sacrifice bunt by Keenan Wiley that scored Bisson from third base.  ISU answered back with run in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 11-4.  Joe Meggs led off the inning with a single to right field, but Pascual Del Real and Strausborger were put down and ISU had two outs in the inning.  Kraemer then came up with a big two-out single that advanced Meggs.  Ciolli got back into the act as he drove in his fourth run of the day, scoring Meggs from third for the lone run of the inning.

The Wildcats tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a RBI double by Braden Kapteyn to center field that scored Bisson.  That is where the score would stay, as the Sycamores could not manufacture any more runs on the day fell by a final score of 12-4 despite collecting 15 hits in the game.

Strausborger finished the day 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Sycamores, while Ciolli wrapped up his day 2-for-5 with all four RBI in the game for ISU.  The Sycamores return to action on Saturday in game two of the series, with junior Eric Valdez (1-0, 2.19 ERA) taking the mound.  First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST.